Mayor Says Poverty Report Outstanding

Christchurch's
Mayor Garry Moore says a City Council-sponsored report on
employment is outstanding and links local results with
international research.

Mr. Moore welcomed the report
because he believes that employment or paid work is the key
to eliminating poverty. "Being in work says so much about a
person's dignity and a place in society. Poverty in monetary
sense is also a poverty of spirit," Mr. Moore said.

"The
City Council's role now is to bring together employers,
trade unions and other interested groups to find the next
step forward to address problem related to employment and
problems outlined in the report, " Mr. Moore said.

Early
this year there was widespread concern that a shortage of
qualified and experienced workers was restricting employment
and business growth in Christchurch.

The Taskforce on
Poverty responded to the concern by commissioning a research
project to measure the extent and nature of the shortage.
The report was prepared by a team of researchers at the
University of Canterbury, Dr Paul Dalziel (who is a member
of the Taskforce), Dr Jane Higgins and Michael
Drummond.

Dr Dalziel says the core findings of the report
are: * that unemployed workers are applying for jobs
even when they do not have the required qualifications and
experience. * that while qualifications are important
for many jobs, experience is seen more important. * that
employers are finding it difficult to find suitably
qualified employees, particularly in the skilled trades. The
report also comments on how central and local government
might encourage a beneficial spiral of rising incomes and
prosperity, paying particular attention to how it can help
develop and maintain a skilled and experienced workforce.
* Fostering a well-qualified workforce begins early:
social investment in quality early childhood education is
particularly important * Likewise, social investment in
low-income suburbs, particularly in relation to education,
is important for enabling young people to achieve their
education potential. Engagement with these communities,
their schools and organisations is vital for exploring the
best ways in which such social investment can be made.
* Incentives to employers of taking on and training
people should be explored. * Employment assistance
programmes appear to be most effective when they have strong
links to actual workplace.

The report was tabled at the
Council's Community Services Committee on Monday 7 May.
.

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